skipper, a tiny, shiny black fly about 5 mm (0.2 inch) long with long fleshy mouthparts and a habit of Piophilidaealso called cheese skipperany member of a family of insects in the fly order, Diptera, in which the larvae are known for jumping or skipping when alarmed. Skippers belong to the family Piophilidae (order Diptera), which The family name means “fat-loving,” and many species breed in fatty materials (e.g., cheese, meat) or such as cheese and meat, where they can become serious pests. They also are found in decaying animal material. Skipper ; skipper species have been known to live in the formalin-soaked preserved human cadavers used in medical schools.